Wire-stretcher



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. H. WILSON.

WIRE STRETGHBR.

Patented Dec. 15, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT Quince,

JESSE II. VILSON, OF LILAC, TEXAS.

WlRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,105, dated December15, 1891.

Application filed August 12, 1891. Serial No. 402,465. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J ESSE H. WILsON, acitizen of the United States,residing at Lilac, in the county of Milam and State of Texas, haveinvented a new and useful wirestretcher, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in wire-stretchers, the objectsin view being to provide a device of cheap and simple construction thatis quick in operation and is adapted to take up slack in barbed andother wire fences.

\Vith the above general objects in view the invention consists incertain novel combinations of parts hereinafter specified, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a wire-stretcherconstructed in accordance with my invention, the same being in the actof engaging a wire. Fig. 2 is a perspective view, the wire being engagedpreparatory to twisting the slack.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of thedrawings.

In practicing my invention I employ two levers 1, each of whichterminates at its inner end in a handle 2. The levers are crossed ashort distance from their outer ends and have their adjacent facesrecessed, as at 3, or pro vided with gains, and are pivoted by means ofa bolt 1, the upper end of which has formed thereon an eye 5. The outerends of the levers are offset or bayonetshaped, as at 6, are bifurcated,and have mounted in each bifurcation a grooved roller 7, the same beingpivoted upon a journal-pin 8.

In slots 9, formed in theinner edge of each lever 1 and between thehandles and pivot, there are pivoted a pair of short toggle-levers 10,by means of pins 11. The toggle-levers have their adjacent ends pivotedtogether by means of a pin or bolt 12, which upon its upper side hasformed an eye 13, longitudinally opposite the eye 5 of the bolt 4E.

In the outer edges of the toggle-1evers 10 there is pivoted, as at 14:,a pair of pawls 15, each of which is provided with a kerf 16,which kerfsreceive the terminals of a bowed spring 17. By means of the spring thepawls are normally thrown into engagement with two series of inclinedteeth 18, formed at the inner edges of the levers 1, whereby said leversare locked against closing.

Immediately below the series of teeth 18 of the levers 1, and at theupper ends of the recesses 9, there are pivoted, as at 19, a pair ofshort levers 21, said levers extending to each side of that lever 1 inwhich it is pivoted, and each terminating at its inner end in a head 22,bearing against its respective pawl 15. Immediately above the handles 2are pivoted pawl-operating levers 23, by means of pins 2 1, each of saidlevers 23 having formed upon its outer side an eye 25, connected to oneof the levers 21 at the outer end of the latter by means of aconnecting-rod 26. Mounted for rotation in the bearing-eyes 5 and 13 ofthe bolts 4 and 12 is a twisting-rod 27, which rod terminates at itsinner end in a crank 28 and beyond the same at its outer end in aconoid-shaped twisting-head 29, provided at one side with an inclinednotch or kerf 30. The shaft 27,while free to rotatein either direction,is prevented from any longitudinal movement by means of the hub 31 ofthe crank 28, which abuts against the inner side of the eye 13, and acollar 32, mounted on the rod and adapted to abut against the outer faceof said eye.

This completes the construction, and the operation of the device intaking up the slack of a wire is as follows: The handles are grasped bythe hands of the operator and the levers 23 compressed toward thehandles, so as to draw inwardly the outer ends of the shortpawl-operating levers 21, which causes a disengagement of the ends ofthe pawls with the inclined teeth 18. Then this has been accomplished,the main levers 1 are spread at their-inner ends to their greatestextent. The grooved rollers 7 are now placed under the wire, while thekerf 30 of the twister-head engages the wire between the rollers, whichengagement of the rollers and head may be readily accomplished withoutremoving the hands from the handles. The main levers 1 are now closed attheir inner ends, and, as will be apparent, as shown in Fig. 2, theslack of the wire has been drawn down between the outer ends of the mainlevers, which is by reason of the fact that as the main levers areclosed the toggle levers 10 force the twisting-rod 27 to the rear. Thebell-crank levers 23 are now released, so that the pawls 15 are throwninto engagement with the inner notches of the series. The operator nowgrasps the crank 28 and rotates the same until nearly all of the slackis removed from the. wire by reason of the Wire being wound about thehead of the twister. Regrasping the handles and con1- pressing thebell-cranks 23, so as to disengage the pawls, the main levers are again,

spread until in their last notches, and what slack remained after thefirst twisting is removed by a subsequent rotation or rotations giventhe twister-rod. The device is now disengaged from the wire and moved tothe next section and the operation, if necessary, repeated.

It will be observed from the foregoing description that an operator maywith great facility and very little labor take up slack in barbed andother fence wires, whereby fences may be kept in good condition, andthat I accomplish this by means of a device of exceedingly simple anddurable construction.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. Inawire-tightener, thecombination, with a pair of levers pivoted together and having theirouter'ends adapted to engage a wire and provided with bearings, of atwister rod mounted for rotation in the bearings and adapted at itsouter end to take over a wire,

substantially as specified.

2. In a wire-tightener, the combination, with the pair of main leverspivoted together and at their outer ends adapted to engage a wire, ofbearings located upon the levers, a twisterrod mounted for rotation inthe bearings and adapted to engage over a wire, and means for lockingthe levers against separation at any point thereof, substantially asspecified.

3. In a wire-tightener, the combination, with the main levers pivotedtogether and adapted at their upper ends to engage under a wire, and arotatable twisting-rod mounted in bearings on the levers and adapted toengage over a wire, of toggle-levers pivoted at their inner endstogether and at their outer ends to the main levers in rear of the pivotof the latter, pawls pivoted 0n, the toggle-levers, a spring forpressing the pawls into engagement with teeth formed in the main levers,and means for disengaging the pawls from the teeth, substantially asspecified.

4. In a wire-stretcher, the combination, with the opposite levers 1,terminating at their inner ends in handles 2 and having bifurcatedbayonet-shaped ends 6, in which are journaled grooved rollers 7, theeyebolt 4, the toggle-levers pivoted at their inner ends together and attheir outer ends to the main levers, the inner pivot being provided withan eye opposite the eyebolt of the main levers, of the twistingrodmounted loosely in the eyes and having its outer end adapted to engageover a wire, pawls pivoted to the toggle-levers, a spring interposedbetween the same adapted to engage teeth formed in the main levers,bellcrank levers pivoted to the handles, pawl-operating levers pivotedto the main levers, and rods connecting the bell-cranks with-thepawloperating levers, substantially as specified.

5. In a wire-stretcher, the combination, with the opposite main leversterminating at their I inner ends in handles and having their innerfaces crossed and recessed to receive each other and havingbayonet-shapedouter ends bifurcated to receive and provided with groovedpulleys, an eyebolt passing through and pivoting the levers together,which levers in rear of their eyebolts are provided'with inclinednotches formed at their inner edges, toggle-levers pivoted to the mainlevers, and an eyebolt connecting the inner ends of the toggle-levers,of a twisting-rod mounted in the eyebolts terminating at its forward endin a conical head having an inclined wire-engaging notch and at its rearend provided with a crank, and means for locking the levers at any pointof their separation, substantially as specified.

6. In awire-tigh tener, the combination, with a pair of levers pivotedtogether and having their outer ends adapted to engage a wire and havingrollers and provided with bearings, of a twister-rod mounted forrotation in the bearings and adapted at its outer end-to take over awire, and provided with a'crank or hand wheel, and means for holding thepivotedlevers-extended or allowing their contraction, as desired,substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

JESSE II. WILSON.

Vitnesses:

CHARLES ADAMS, P. G. PARTAR.

